Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while South Africa secured their number one ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Team Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against the Islanders but have been included in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's present ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
